1. THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to book holding devices and more particularly to that class of devices which independently engage each page of the opened book on a supporting surface which may be adjusted angularly from a supporting surface and at various heights thereabove.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The prior art abounds with book holding devices. U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,869 issued Apr. 17, 1956 to E. Aibel teaches a reading stand having a pair of legs disposed to finding a inverted V. A sheet, having a general U-shaped section, is pivotably secured to one of each of the pair of legs defining the stand. In use, a book is inserted in between the legs of the U-shaped sheet which may be positioned at any desired angle over a supporting surface adapted to provided horizontal support for user of apparatus. The Aibel apparatus suffers the deficiency of forcing the user to remove the books from the confine of the U-shaped sheet each time the pages are required to be turned.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,579,740 issued on Dec. 25, 1951 to V. D. Hiemenz discloses a four legged support for a bar which may be pivotably located so as to form a convertable reading stand. Attached to the bar is a sheet which may be positioned at any desirous angular location relative to the supporting surface upon which the legs rest. A T-shaped member is pivotably secured to the sheet and is adapted for compressing the open pages of a book between the cross member of the T-shaped element and the sheet upon which the spine of the book rests. The Hiemenz apparatus suffers a deficiency of providing a device whose height is not readily adjustable and which forces the user thereof to remove the T-shaped member from engagement with the opened pages before allowing the pages of the book to be turned.